Device for selecting tape-reel control mode

ABSTRACT

A device for selecting a tape-reel control mode adapted for use in a video tape recorder and/or player is provided with a devise for locking the shift member in a fast-running mode position, and a device for relieving the shift member from the locking condition in such a manner that a mode selecting cam is regulated by a cam drive motor in the same direction as that in the previous mode, just after the control mode is changed from the previous mode to the next mode.

THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for selecting tape-reelcontrol mode adapted to a tape recording and/or playing device such as avideo tape recorder, a video tape player, DAT and camera recorder forhome or business use as well as combination recorder with a television,and the other visual or audio device having a tape recorder and/orplayer.

The prior recorder and/or player with tape-winding system had generallyincluded a tape deck having a pair of tape-reel setting discs to which apair of tape-reels journalled in a tape-cassette are removably engagedas the tape-cassette is set on the deck, a torque transmission meansthrough which either one of the setting discs is alternately rotated ina forward or backward direction by means of a drive motor, and means forselecting a prescribed tape-reel control mode from various control modessuch as a recording mode, a playing mode, fast-running mode, rewindingmode, etc., thereby to drive the setting disc under a speed depending onthe selected control mode mentioned above.

In order to maintain a tape in a manner to be partially stretchedbetween the tape-reels, the tape-winding system mentioned above includesmeans for braking the setting disc just when the setting disc runs in areverse direction under the regulation depending on the prescribedcontrol mode, together with means for preventing slack in the stretchedportion of the tape.

However, the prior recorder and/or player should be provided with aseparate motor or an electromagnetic solenoid device together with meansfor biasing braking members disposed at suitable positions associatedwith the setting disc and torque transmission mean. It is undesirable tocause in increase in the number of parts or, weight and cost of thedevice, as well as further complicating its construction.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide a device for selecting atape-reel control mode adapted for use in a tape recorder and/or playerwherein means for biasing the braking members can be regulated by meansof a drive motor, which is adapted to regulate a mode selecting cammember and a shift member, the shift member being adapted to set atorque transmission device and means for controlling the braking membersand other associated members according to the prescribed control mode,without an additional motor or solenoid device.

A second object of this invention is to provide a device for selecting atape-reel control mode adapted for use in a tape recorder and/or playerwherein there are provided means for locking the shift member in afast-running mode position, and means for relieving the shift memberfrom the locking condition in such a manner that the mode selecting camis regulated by the drive motor in the same direction as that in theprevious mode, just after the control mode is changed from the previousmode to the next mode.

A third object of this invention is to provide a device for selectingtape-reel control mode adapted for use in a tape recorder and/or playerwherein there are provided means for locking the shift member in afast-running mode position, and means for relieving the shift memberfrom the locking condition at such timing so that the mode selecting camis yet not being regulated by the drive motor just when the control modeis exchanged from the previous mode, thereby to actuating the brakingmembers ahead of time at which the drive motor starts under the nextmode without it being loaded by the mode selecting cam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a device forselecting a tape-reel control mode adapted to a tape recorder and/orplayer in which are included a tape deck having a pair of tape-reelsetting discs to which a pair of tape-reels journalled in atape-cassette are removably engaged as the tape-cassette is set on thedeck, a torque transmission device for alternately supplying a torquepower from a drive motor to either one of the tape-reel setting discs,and means for braking the setting disc under the prescribed control modetogether with means for preventing slack in the stretched portion of atape between the tape-reels, the braking means including braking membersrespectively to the tape-reel setting disc, characterized by comprisinga shift member retractably supported to a chassis and adapted toregulate the respective braking member, means for biasing the shiftmember at a braking position as the control mode is exchanged from thefast-running mode to the other mode, a mode selecting cam associated tothe shift member through a cam follow member, a cam-drive motor, alocking member adapted to lock the cam follow member at the fast-runningmode position against the bias of the biasing means, and means forrelieving the lock condition of the locking member to the cam followmember in such a manner that the mode selecting cam is regulated by thecam-drive motor in the same direction as that in the previousfast-running mode, just after the control mode is exchanged from theprevious mode to the next mode.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description taken with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tape recording and playing device includingmeans for selecting a tape-reel control mode according to an embodimentof this invention wherein a tape cassette is yet not set on a tape deckdisposed in a chassis;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the embodiment mentioned above wherein thetape cassette is set on the tape deck;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the essential part of the embodimentmentioned above wherein the tape cassette is set on the tape deck undera fast-running mode;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the essential part of the embodimentmentioned above wherein the tape cassette is set on the tape deck undera braking condition far to the fast-running mode;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the essential part of the embodimentmentioned above wherein means for controlling a shift member included inthis invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the essential part illustrated inFIG. 5 wherein some parts are demounted;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical view of the part illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-section of the part of the embodiment whereina mode selecting cam and the other members associated thereto areillustrated;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the part of the embodiment wherein a lockingmember and the other members associated thereto are disassembled forsimple illustration;

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-section of the part of the embodimentwherein means for transmitting rotation from a cam-drive motor to themode selecting cam is illustrated;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view and a perspective view of the part of theembodiment wherein a driven pulley and means for delaying the rotationfrom the pulley to the mode selecting cam involved in the transmittingmeans; and

FIG. 12 is a plan view of another embodiment of this invention wherein ashift member and the other members associated thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A device of this invention is adapted for selecting a tape-reel controlmode adapted to a tape recorder and/or player as well as combinationsthereof which is illustrated in the drawings and described hereinafteras embodiments.

The tape recording and/or playing device in this embodiment includes atape deck chassis 1 having a pair of tape-reel setting discs 10 and 11with rotating shafts 10a and 11a to which a pair of tape-reel (not shownby any reference number) journalled in a tape-cassette 9 are removablyengaged as the tape-cassette 9 is set on the deck, and a torquetransmission device for alternately supplying a torque power from adrive motor 40 to either one of the tape discs 10 and 11. The drivemotor 40 includes a fly wheel and an output shaft with a capstan roller14.

The device further includes a cassette holder 16 for guiding thetape-cassette 9 along side guide members 17 and 18 to the tape-reelsetting discs 10 and 11, a pinch roller 15 adapted to pinch the tape tothe capstan roller 14, a head cylinder 2 to which are disposed an inputand output head 12 applied to audio-signal singal and an erasing head13, a pair of slide members 7 and 8 with tape-loading pins 3 and 4adapted to guide the tape to the periphery of the head cylinder 2 whenthe cassette 9 is loaded on the tape-reel setting discs, a pair of guiderails 5 and 6 disposed to the chassis 1, and means for carrying theslide members 7 and 8 along the guide rails.

The carrying means includes two link members 32 pivoted to the slidemembers 7 and 8 respectively, two loading arms 33 pivoted to the linkmembers 32 respectively and rotatably supported to the back side of thechassis 1 by means of pivots 35 and 36, two gears 37 fixed to theloading arms 33 respectively and intermeshed to each other, a pinion 38coaxially secured to the left side one of the gears 37, and a loadinglever 31 retractably supported to the back side of the chassis 1 andhaving rack teeth 39 intermeshed to the pinion 38 so that the loadinglever 31 is carried when the tape-cassette 9 is loaded to the tape-reeldiscs, as shown in FIG. 2 in detail.

In order to carry the cassette holder 16 with the tape-cassette 9 froman input and output portion of the chassis 1 to the tape-reel settingdiscs or in reverse it vice versa, there are provided with a carryinglever 28, a rack gear member 29 shifted by the motion of the carryinglever 28, and gears 30 rotatably supported to the both sides of thecassette holder 16 so as to be driven by the rack gear member 29 withits intermeshing thereto.

In this embodiment, the torque transmission device comprises two gears50 and 51 coaxially attached to the tape-reel setting discs 10 and 11, aselecting gear 47 alternately intermeshed to the gears 50 and 51 andjournalled to a shift member 45, the shift member 45 being swinginglysupported to a shaft 46 mounted on the chassis 1 so as to engage withthe selecting gear 47 with either one of the gears 50 and 51, a gear 44with a clutch member (not shown) generally intermeshing to the selectinggear 47, a drive pulley 41 connected to the output shaft 14, a drivenpulley 43 coaxially supported to the shaft 46 with its clutch member(not shown) being frictionally engaged to the clutch member mentionedabove, and an endless belt 42 stretchedly wound to both pulleys 41 and43.

The shift member 45 can be turned to cause the selecting gear 47 to beintermeshed to either one of the gears 50 and 51 due to the rotatingtorque applied to the shift member 45 through the transmission routewhen the drive motor 40 is started to its reverse direction by changingthe tape-reel control mode. In this case, the swinging motion of theshift member 45 may be limited in a prescribed scope by means ofstoppers 49.

The tape recorder further includes means for braking the tape-reelsetting discs 10 and 11 under the prescribed control mode together withmeans for preventing slack in the stretched portion of a tape betweenthe tape-reels. The braking means includes braking members 53, 55 and54, 56 respectively adapted to the tape-reel setting discs 10 and 11,all of the braking members being pivotally supported to the chassis 1 bymeans of pivot posts 53a, 55a and being 54a, 56a, and biased to thetape-reel setting discs 10 and 11 by means of tension spring members 73.The braking members 53, 54 and 56 are provided with cam follow pins (notshown by reference numbers), and the braking member 55 is provided witha guide fork to which a shift pin is engaged. The shift pin is attachedto a lever 55b which is provided with a cam follow pin and rotatablysupported to the chassis 1 by means of a pivot post 55c.

The means for preventing slack in the tape relief mainly includes a tapetension lever 52 pivotally supported to the chassis 1, a back-tensionpost 52a attached to the free end of the lever 52, a brake releasinglever 52b, and a band brake member 52c disposed around the tape-reelsetting disc 10 in a manner to be touched to the periphery of thesetting disc 10 under the braking operation, the band brake member 52chaving its ends connected to the levers 52a and 52b.

The device for selecting a tape-reel control mode is particularlyprovided with a shift member 57 retractably supported to a chassis 1with means of guide slits 59 formed to the shift member 57 and guideposts 58 standing on the chassis 1, the shift member 57 being adapted toregulate the respective braking member by means of cam surfaces formedto the edge thereof in such manner that the cam follow pins are followedto the pattern of the cam, means for biasing the shift member at abraking position as the control mode is changed from the fast-runningmode to the other mode, the biasing means consisting of a torsionalspring member 72 in this embodiment, a mode selecting cam 20 associatedto the shift member 57 through a cam follow member 60, a cam-drive motor22, a locking member 62 adapted to lock the cam follow member 60 at thefast-running mode position against the bias of the torsional springmember 72, and means for relieving the lock condition of the lockingmember 62 to the cam follow member 60 in such manner that the modeselecting cam 20 is regulated by the cam-drive motor 22 in the samedirection as that in the previous fast-running mode, just after thecontrol mode is exchanged from the previous mode to the next mode.

In this embodiment, the cam disc 20 is rotatably supported to thechassis 1 with its cam shaft 68, and the cam follow member 60 has afollow pin guided along a cam groove 63 formed to the cam disc 20, apivot 61 journaled to the chassis 1 at the middle portion thereof, andits one end is pivotally engaged to the shift member 57 and its otherend is disengagably locked to the locking member 62 by means of anengaging notch 65 formed to the locking member 62. The torsional springmember 72 is biased in a clockwise direction in this embodiment anddirectly applied to the cam follow member 60 through which the springbias is supplied to the shift member 57. The locking member 62 isrotatably supported to the chassis 1 with its journal post 69 standingthrough the chassis 1 and has a gear 67 intermeshed to a gear 27integrally formed to the periphery of the cam disc 20, and means of acompression spring member 66 adapted to bias the gear 67 against therotation applied to the gear 67. And the cam disc 20 further includescam grooves for guiding a swinging lever adapted to the pinch roller 15and the carrying lever 28 already mentioned.

In order to transmit torque power from the cam-drive motor 22 to the camdisc 20, the device includes a reversible worm 26 intermeshed to thegear 27 and having a shaft 79 which is journalled to bearings disposedto the chassis 1 and coaxially connected to a driven pulley 24 rotatablysupported to the shaft 79 via means for delaying the transmission of therotation when the cam-drive motor is start in a reverse direction, thedriven pulley 24 having a journal 78 integrally formed to one sidethereof. Furthermore, the driven pulley 24 is rotated through a drivepulley 23 connected to the output shaft of the cam-drive motor 22 and anendless belt 25 stretched between the pulleys 23 and 24 in the woundcondition.

In this embodiment, the delaying means involves a hole 82 formed to theend portion of the worm 26 with its inner periphery having a stopprotrusion 84, and a pushing protrusion 83 formed to the end portion ofthe journal 78 so that the pushing protrusion 83 is rotatably insertedinto the hole 82 and adapted to be engaged to the stop protrusion 84thereby to transmit the torque power from the pulley 24 to the worm 26but not release the transmission between such an interval that theprotrusion 83 is carried away from the one side of the protrusion 84 andtouched to the other side thereof in the hole 82 when the cam-drivemotor is start to its reverse direction.

The device of this invention further includes means for relieving theshift member 57 from the locking condition (as shown in FIG. 4) in suchmanner that the mode selecting cam 20 is regulated by the drive motor 22in the same direction as that in the previous mode, i.e., thefast-running mode, just after the control mode is exchanged from theprevious mode to the next mode.

In this embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the relieving means includes anabutting member 71 disposed to the locking member 62 and a guide piece70 mounted on the cam disc 20 so that the locking member 62 is turnedwith its abutting member 71 being deflected to the guide piece 70 in amanner to cause the notch 65 to be disengaged from the free end of thecam follow member 60 when the cam disc 20 is further turned from aposition illustrated in FIG.3 in an counter-clockwise direction in whichthe tape-reel setting disc 10 and 11 is driven under a fast-runningmode.

The relieving means further includes means for fast-relieving the camfollow member 60 from the locking condition at such timing as that themode selecting cam 20 is yet not being regulated by the drive motor 22due to the short-timing operation of the delaying means mentioned abovejust when the control mode is exchanged from the previous mode, i.e.,the fast-running mode.

In this embodiment as shown in FIG. 9 and 11, the fast-relieving meansconsists of a kick lever 74 fixedly connected to the locking member 62via the journal post 69, a kick arm 75 pivoted to the kick lever 74 andhaving a loop spring portion 76 integrally formed thereto so as to biasthe kick arm 75 toward a stopper portion 77 formed to the kick lever 74,and a plurality of abutting ribs 85 mounted on one side face of thedriven pulley 24 and arranged along a circle coaxially defined to thepulley axis and spaced equidistantly from each other, the kick arm 75being capable to be inserted against the bias of the loop spring portion76 into a possessed area in which the abutting ribs 85 is driven by therotation of the pulley 24. Accordingly, the kick arm 75 is pushed outfrom the possessed area when the cam-drive motor 22 drives under theeither one of the fast-running mode, recording mode or playing mode, andcarried together with the pulley 24 with the kick arm 75 being pushed byone of the abutting ribs 85 under its position, at which the stopperportion 77 supports the kick arm against the bias of the spring portion76, ahead of time at which the cam-drive motor 22 starts to the reversedirection under the next control mode (the rewinding mode) and duringthe delaying means is actuated as mentioned above so as to turn thelocking member 62.

As the results, the lock condition between the notch 65 and the free endof the cam follow member 60 is relieved, thereby to shift the shiftmember 57 by the bias of the torsional spring member 72 so as to actuatethe braking members ahead of time at which the drive motor 22 startsunder the next mode without it being loaded by the mode selecting cam20.

In this embodiment, the locking member 62 is preferably formed to thekick lever 74 in an integral shape by means of moulding process on bothsides of the chassis plate 1A. The shift member 7, brake members 53, 54and 56, and lever 55b may be assembled to the upper side of the chassis1 as shown in FIG. 6 and 7. In this case, the guide posts, for example,the guide post 55c (as shown in FIG. 7) is integrally formed to aplastic moulding piece 158 which is mounted on the chassis 1 by means ofmoulding process mentioned above and which has hooks 158a extendingupwards through the guide groove 59. Accordingly, the shift member 57can be slidably supported on the upper surface of the chassis 1 with thehooks 158a depressing the upper surface of the shift member 57 withoutany other supporting member, and the brake members and lever can be alsosupported under the turnable condition between the shift member 57 andthe chassis 1, in such manner that the lever 55b is, for example,supported on the upper surface of the chassis 1 as shown in FIG. 7 withits pivot portion being sandwiched between the shift member 57 and thechassis 1 without any other supporting member. The assembly includingthe shift member, brake member, lever and guide posts mentioned above isvery simple and reliable as compared to the prior assembly including thesame members.

Furthermore, the braking members 53 and 56 may be supported on thechassis 1 at their other portions by means of a cover plate 1b which isattached to the chassis 1 by means of set screws 1c in a manner tooverhang the braking members 53 and 56 partially.

Another embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 12 includesa shift member 57' which is biased by means of an electromagneticsolenoid 72' in stead of the torsional bias spring member adapted to thefirst embodiment mentioned above. In this embodiment, the solenoid 72'is disposed to the chassis 1 and has an electromagnet member, to which aferrite piece 101 is set opposite. The ferrite piece 101 is attached toa shift lever 102, which is disposed to the chassis 1 with its beingturnable by means of a supporting post 103 and which is biased by meansof a tension spring member 104 to a direction to which the ferrite piece101 is attracted to the electromagnet member when the solenoid 72' isenergized. The shift lever 102 further includes a shift roller 105pivoted to the free end thereof, the shift roller 105 following to anabutting edge 106 formed to the shift member 57' so that the shiftmember 57' can be carried by the bias of the spring member 104 as wellas by the attraction force applied by the solenoid when the cam-followmember 60 under a fast-running mode causes the shift member 57' to beshifted in a leftwardly direction as best shown in FIG. 12.

While, the shift member 57' is generally biased by means of a tensionspring member 106 of which the bias is force larger than that of thespring member 104 but is smaller than that of the spring member 104under the addition of the magnetic force applied by the solenoid 72'.Accordingly, the shift member 57' can be carried by the bias of thespring member 106 to a rightwardly direction in FIG. 12 when thesolenoid 72' is de-energized under a control mode for braking thetape-reel. In this embodiment, a solenoid smaller than that of the priorart can be used for biasing the shift member 57', because the springmember 104 assists the magnetic force applied to the solenoid againstthe spring member 106.

What is claimed is:
 1. In combination, a device for selecting atape-reel control mode adapted for use in a video tape recorder and/orplayer having a tape deck and having a pair of tape-reel setting discsto which a pair of tape reels journalled in a tape-cassette, support atape portion stretched therebetween, are removably engaged as thetape-cassette is set on the deck, a torque transmission device forselectively supplying torque power from a drive motor to either one ofthe tape-reel setting discs, and means for braking said tape-reelsetting discs under a selected predetermined control mode together withmeans for preventing slack in said stretched portion of a tape betweensaid tape-reels, said braking means including braking members,characterized by a shift member retractably supported to a chassis andadapted to regulate said braking members, means for biasing said shiftmember at a braking position as the control mode is changed from afast-running mode to another mode, a mode selecting cam associated tosaid shift member through a cam follow member, a cam-drive motor, alocking member adapted to lock said cam follow member at saidfast-running mode position against biasing means, means for relievingthe lock condition of said locking member relative to said cam followmember in such a manner that said mode selecting cam is controllablydriven by said cam-drive motor in the same direction as that in theprevious fast-running mode, just after the control mode is changed fromthe previous mode to the next mode; and means for locking said shiftmember in a fast-running mode position, and means for relieving theshift member from the locking condition, whereby said mode selecting cambeing regulated by said cam drive motor just when the control mode ischanged from the previous mode, thereby actuating said braking membersahead of the time at which said cam-drive motor starts under the nextmode without it being loaded by said mode-selecting cam, and wherebysaid means for relieving includes an abutting member disposed on saidlocking member and a guide piece mounted on the mode-selecting cam sothat the locking member turned with its abutting member being deflectedby the guide piece in a manner to be disengaged from a free-end of saidcam follow member when said mode-selecting cam is further turned in acounter-clockwise direction in which the tape-reel setting disc isdriven under said fast-running mode.
 2. The combination according toclaim 1, wherein said means for relieving further including means forfast-relieving said cam follow member from said locking condition whensaid mode-selecting cam is not yet regulated by said cam drive motorjust when the control mode is changed from the previous mode.
 3. Thecombination according to claim 2; wherein said fast-relieving meanscomprises a kick lever fixedly connected to said locking member via ajournal post, a kick arm pivoted to the kick lever and having a loopspring portion integrally formed thereto so as to bias the kick armtoward a stopper portion formed on said kick lever, and a plurality ofabutting ribs mounted on one side face of a driven pulley and arrangedalong a circle coaxially defined relative to the pulley axisequidistantly spaced from each other, the kick arm being capable ofbeing inserted against the bias of the loop spring portion into an areain which the abutting ribs are driven by the rotation of said pulley.